This, however, won't be a new experience for the university authorities, as several faculties have been without deans for the past few years. The university gets by by either appointing an officer on special duty, or an administrator or an officiating dean.

In the last standing committee meeting at the end of May, the authorities had submitted a memorandum to the vice-chancellor, maintaining there was no appropriate candidate in the law faculty to occupy the dean's post. ``But'', said a member of the panel, ``it was only in the last Syndicate meeting that it was decided to appoint an officer on special duty.''

Other similar posts that are also in limbo are those of the fine arts and performing arts faculties. While D K Bhonsle has been the officiating dean of the performing arts faculty for the past three years, the administrative work is done by the administrator G Shah.

Pro-Vice-Chancellor Dipak Kumar De, when asked about the vacancies, said that regular meetings were held to decide upon filling of the vacant positions and the recruitment of the temporary lecturers and teachers.Sources, however, indicated otherwise, pointing out that though the dean's post at the faculty of arts -- now occupied by D H Mohite -- would be vacant from September, ``decisions will be taken only when September comes around''.